Forest's Past
by Valentine Black
Summary: Nod, MK, and Ronin face a new threat in the forest one that calls for them to consult two woman that have a part in Ronin's past. Contains OC's. Rate T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One 

The Queen looked around the pond with the snail and the slug. Nod wandered around the edges, patrolling while Ronin sat in a tree, making sure the Queen was safe. MK's dad rambled on and on about how advanced the society was. Nod glanced up at MK and blushed. It was hard to focus on work when she was there. MK noticed Nod and gave a small wave. He blushed more and waved back, then hurriedly went back to work. MK smiled to herself before turning back to watch the queen. Ronin saw the whole exchange. Nod could feel Ronin's eyes on him and grumbled under his breath.

Bored of her dad's ramblings and the scene MK scanned the field for Nod. He was under a fern not far off, glancing up at the sky, which was forming thunderclouds. MK also spotted the thunderclouds as she felt a drop of rain fall on her noise. She began to worry as the drops seemed to be as large as the leaf men that were patrolling the field. Nod scampered under a leaf as Ronin moved to hold a leaf over the Queen to keep the rain off. The wind was picking up as well, and causing small waves. MK began to look more earnestly for Nod helping some other leaf man find some cover as she canvased the area.

He'd been attacked, and was single-handedly dealing with the boggins, who had pushed him out of sight, and the rain drowned out his cries for help. When MK couldn't find Nod she went over to Ronin to ask if he had seen him. Ronin shook his head and shrugged making some joke about him going off on an adventure again. Meanwhile Nod was running for his life. MK pursed her lips and started off around the area checking all the bushes and other foliage. He was climbing a tree, covered in scratched and bruises. MK found some signs of a struggle and became more worried frantically looking around to find Nod, however in her haste she forgot to look upwards to the trees. He gasped as she bumped into him and he lost his grip on the branch. "MK!" he shouted at her, praying she would hear. MK heard a voice and looked up only to see Nod falling towards the ground. She threw out her hands trying to catch him. He only opened his eyes when he felt himself land in something soft.

"MK...?"

"Nod!" She called out opening her hands to make sure he was alright

He looked up at her and smiled weakly. "H-hey..."

"Are you okay" she questioned lowering him to the ground.

He nodded and smiled. "Yes, thanks to you..."

"What happened" she asked walking him back to the field where everyone else was.

"Boggins..." he mumbled.

"We should tell Ronin" She replied as they came into the clearing, only to run into the man himself.

He sighed and shook his head. "I'm pretty sure the danger is over now.

Ronin looked Nod over and asked "What trouble?"

"Nothing..." he mumbled.

"Those bruises don't look like no trouble." Ronin replied poking on of the bruises as he spoke.

He winced. "Ow! Geez...I fell off a branch ok...?"

Ronin gave him a hard stare before turning to go back to the queen.

MK looked down at Nod in worry. She was about to say something when Mub came over. Nod groaned at the presence of the slug. He hated when he flirted with MK.

"Hey MK how have you been." Mub asked deliberately pushing his way in front of Nob.

Nod growled and poked at the slug. "Excuse me! We were talking..."

Mub turned his eyes to look at Nob. "Well you spent the entirety of the morning staring at MK so I don't see why I can have a nice conversation with her, without you." he put emphasis on the without you and push Nob away. Nod blushed bright red. "I...I was NOT staring!"

"Were too." Mub replied poking Nod with one of his eyes. MK just sighed as the scene unfolded. Nod winced and glared daggers at the slug. "I was...!" his rant was lost when he felt MK move slightly as the wind tugged at her. MK shivered as the wind brushed past her. Nod fell on his face as it pulled her up and tugged on her, and suddenly she was shrinking. "AAAAAAH!" Nod screamed. The sensation that had happened to her the last time this ceremony had taken place was back and she screamed as she was thrown about in some weird wind.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two 

He clung to her hand, and then suddenly he was holding her in his arms; clinging to her for dear life. She ended up landing on him.

"Owwww..."

MK looked down as the dizziness passed to find that she had landed on Nod and that she was the same size as him. Mub had his mouth a gape. He blushed a deep red as he looked up into her eyes, her lips inches from his.

"MK...?" he whispered softly.

"Nod" she whispered back and inched closer. They were about to kiss when Mub grabbed Nod and pulled him out from under MK. Nod had been leaning closer as well when he was pulled away and winced as he hit a nearby mushroom. "OW! Geez...be careful!"

"No you be careful. That's my girl." Mub said pushing up against Nod. MK was blushing as she realized how close they had come to kissing when her dad came stomping over Nod sighed and looked down. "Fine...whatever...go ahead..." he stood and turned away. "I'm going back to the Queen...you make sure MK gets back safe..." his shoulders slumped.

Mub looked startled used to their usual bantering. Meanwhile MK's dad had picked her up and was asking her what had happened. Nod could feel the tears stinging his eyes as he stumbled away. She was back to normal size...but he doubted she'd want him...after all...what was he? A stupid idiot that always screwed up...

MK looked over to see Nod leaving with his shoulders slumped and an aura of gloom surrounding him. Concerned she asked her dad to set her down next to him. Nod could feel himself trembling a little, but was still desperately trying not to cry.

"What's wrong Nod?" she asked noticing his watery eyes and placed a concerned hand on his shoulder.

He quickly looked away, not wanting her to see him crying. "Nothing...I'm fine..."

"If you say so..." MK replied not wanting to push too far. She withdrew her hand but continued walking next to Nod as he made his way back to his bird.

"Why are you following me?!" he snapped at her suddenly. MK gave him a hurt look and stopped walking. "I don't have anywhere to go tonight and you said I could rely on you if I need help."

He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Yes you're right...I'm sorry...that was unkind of me..." he smiled at her.

"It's okay, it's been a long night." MK started walking again and the two of them made their way over to Nod's bird. He looked at the ground, still blushing. Ronin watched the whole exchange from his spot next to the queen and a smile was slowly making its way onto his face. Nod rubbed the back of his head and offered to help her up on the bird. She accepted his hand and swung up onto the bird. When she was seated Nod also mounted the bird.

He smiled. "Put your arms around me~"

"But I don't even know you."

He chuckled. MK gave him a smile and placed her arms around him. The bird leapt out into the air beating its wings in an effort to catch up with the rest of the leaf man who were taking to the skies. He smiled shyly back at her. Ronin came flying over interrupting their moment to ask "Where did you run into the Boggins?"

He glanced at him. "Huh...?"

"I know you ran into boggins down there and I need to make sure the queen isn't in any danger."

"Under the ferns..." he nodded to the spot.

"Okay." Ronin turned his bird and started down watching the fern intently. MK and Nod watched him go with concern.

"I don't like when he goes off by himself..." mumbled Nod.

"You said it was nothing so he should be fine right?" MK asked as they watched Ronin get closer to the ground.

"Well I don't think there's any down there right now..." Just as Nod said that several boggins came bursting out of the undergrowth tackling Ronin.

"RONIN!" Nod whirled his bird around sending it to the ground as Ronin disappeared under a swarm. MK watched desperately as the two men fought from where Nod had set her down. The men were winning but there was a constant flow of boggins coming from the bushes.

Nod chuckled as he glanced at Ronin. "Just like good old times eh~?"

"Yeah. But let's not have a repeat of last year." Ronin said his eyes clouding over with grief.

Nod looked at him. "Don't worry Ronin...I'm not going anywhere..."

"I wasn't speaking about you." He muttered slashing through another boggin. As they fought they felled to notice that several boggins had made their way up the tree to where MK was.

"I know. I'm saying you have me this time..." he grinned. "I'll watch you're back!" A few moments passed in which Nod noticed that Ronin had a small smile on his face before they heard MK scream. He smiled a little at Ronin. "There's that smile..." he whispered teasingly, but all that changed when he heard MK scream. He whipped around. "MK!" Ronin had rolled his eyes but turned too when he heard MK scream. They both turned to see a Boggin trying to make off with MK who was struggling in its grasp. Without a second thought he charged the boggin, throwing aside his own safety. He did manage to free MK, but his leg was pierced by a boggin arrow, and he could feel the rot spreading through him.

Ronin in was beside them immediately calling his bird. "MK get him back home quickly before the rot spreads any further." he ordered handing her his reigns. Nod tried to shake her off. "I...I'm fine! I can't leave you again Ronin...not like this..."

"We have to stop the rot before it claims your life. Do you want to leave MK alone?" Ronin asked him in that serious voice of his used for scolding.

He looked back at her than shook his head. "No...but I can't lose you either...dad..." Ronin stared at him in shock for a moment before speaking, "Get to the queen and send back some reinforcements that way I only have to fend them off for a time."

He nodded. "Right...don't you dare die!" he ordered before he let MK drag him away. Ronin watched them go for a time before turning back to the boggins. MK desperately urged the bird to go faster showing the same recklessness that was characteristic of Nod as she raced to get him to the queen. Nod smiled a little at how reckless she was.

They finally made it to the queen creating a disturbance as they came rushing in. There were gasps from all around and one of the commanders came flying in close with the queen at his side. With a wave of her hand the rot vanished from Nod. "What happened?" the commander asked. He stood up. "Boggins...they attacked from over there..." he pointed. " I got injured so MK had to bring me here...but Ronin's still fighting...and he needs back-up..."

"Understood." The commander turned to his troops and re-laid the information. "You should come back with us." He said turning back to Nod as his troop all flew back to the grove. Nod agreed and transferred MK over to the Queens float.

"Stay there..." he ordered MK before turning to keep a watchful eye on their surroundings.

"Okay." and then the leaf man were gone off to save Ronin with Nod in their midst. MK turned her attention to the Queen who held tightly to the new pod. He glanced back at them and smiled at the young Queen. "It's going to be ok..." She smiled back and even waved as they left.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Ronin was surrounded by boggins and they were all ganging up on him making it hard to kill one and go onto another. Just before he was about to be swallowed up an arrow came rushing past piercing the nearest boggin. Nod had followed the other leafmen, once sure that the Queen, MK, and the whole escort was safe. Ronin looked up to see the horde of leaf men barreling down upon him and the boggins. Nod hoped Ronin would still be ok.

The fight began spreading all over the glen. In the midst of it all Ronin found Nod. "Is the queen alright." he shouted over the sounds.

Nod moved so he could press his back against the other. "She's safe...MK to!"

"Good." No more words were spoken as they beat back the boggins. Once the boggins were gone Nod sighed. "They shouldn't be acting up like this...I mean what with Mandrake gone..."

"That's true." Ronin said looking pensively out of the glen at nothing.

"What do you think it means?" he glanced at the other.

"Something isn't right." Ronin seemed to come to some sort of idea for he whistled for his bird without another word and took off.

Nod blinked. "Eh...? Hey, Ronin wait!" he quickly ran for his own bird and hopped on it, chasing after him. "Geez...what's gotten into him now...?" Ronin didn't slow down even when he saw Nod following him if anything he went faster almost losing him in the thickness of the trees as they seemed to be going up a nearby mountain. Nod struggled to keep up, wondering what on earth was going on and why Ronin seemed to be trying to lose him.

Ronin came to a sudden halt so fast that Nod flew past him. Nod went zooming by and his bird swerved to avoid a tree and he fell off with a startled yelp. Only to be caught by Ronin's bird as it glided by and descended through the trees. "Since you appear so insistent on coming I'll tell you now to mind your tongue, we're going to go met some special people."

"Special people...?" Nod tipped his head curiously at Ronin. "I honestly didn't know you had so many friends dad~"

"They were friends of Tara and they were leaf woman at one point in time. Watch what you say one of them has a temper

"I've never heard of X-leafwomen...or X-leafmen for that matter...why'd they quit?"

"Because of something that happened a long time ago." Ronin said in that tone of voice that said the conversation was over.

Nod sighed. "Ok fine..." he looked around. They were in a part of the forest he'd never seen before, and he was curious. Everything was green, really green. No blight no death everything was growing and growing big.

"I've never seen anything like this...not even the Queen is able to keep a forest this green..." he glanced at Ronin. 'What kind of people are these hermit women...?' he thought to himself.

"No the queen could keep this all green but with the blight and the boggins she doesn't have the time." Ronin spoke absent mindedly looking around for something.

"What's that...?" Nod pointed to a hut made of leaves and sticks that was coming out of a hollow tree.

"There it is." Ronin sighed making his way up to the bark door and knocked. Footsteps came from inside and the door opened to show a young girl of maybe nine.

"What do you want?" she asked glaring up at the two men. Nod blinked in surprise and glanced at Ronin, keeping his mouth shut, but a little confused about the whole thing. A tall woman with hair as red as blood and eyes as dark and green as the forest around them came up behind her. There were scars all over her bare arms and face, but the armor she wore and the shine in her eyes made her look beautiful, despite her rugged appearance.

"Ronin..." She pursed her lips. "You shouldn't be here..."

"I know I promised not to visit but I need Nina's ability for a moment to see why the boggins are acting up. I promise not to stay long."

Nod looked between the two as the red head frowned and crossed her arms. She was about to say something when there was a familiar voice from inside; one Ronin knew all too well and she sighed. "Tara..." she turned around. "I thought I warned you to stay put! It might be too much for him..."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four 

"Tara ..." Ronin breathed in shock his mind trying to deny that voice. The little girl turned her midnight eyes toward the house and spoke in a chilling voice, "Not now Tara it is too soon."

Ronin's breath became abnormally fast "Can't be Tara, Tara is dead." he mumbled over and over even as his vision started to fail him. "Catch him" the chilling voice commanded and then everything went black for Ronin.

Nod caught him suddenly and looked at them in surprise. "What...happened...and who are you?" he looked between them and Ronin. "He never told me about either of you..."

Lily shrugged. "I'm Blood-lily...but most call me Lily." She stepped aside, allowing Tara to come out. "The re-appearance of a loved one who was dead is difficult for anyone...it was not yet time for their destiny's to converge again..." Lily sighed. "But I suppose you might as well come in..."

"You're Nod." The little girl spoke lifting her eyes to look at him. Black orbs stared at him, it was actually a little creepy seeing as she didn't have the white part of the eye at all it was just a swirling black void. "The one who loves MK?" she turned to Blood-Lily as she asked the question.

Lily nodded. "Yes...that's him...the leaf man in love with a stomper." she turned back inside, guiding Tara away. "Seat him will you? He has much he wishes to discuss."

"Okay." The girl turned back to Nod and grabbed one of his hands leading him into the house that perfectly matched the outside area. The girl sang softly as she brought Nod to a dining area as a vine took Ronin from him. "We lay my love and I beneath the weeping willow. But now alone I lie and weep beside the tree."

Nod stared, still a little in shock about the whole thing as he was seated. "So...you're...Nina right?"

"Yes." the little girl replied simply moving to rummage about in the pantry. She proved to be too small to reach the jar of honey she was after however. Nod stood and took it down for her with a smile. "Here you go!" Lily came back in with a box of...something...in her hand. Nina stared at Nod with those creepy eyes for a good moment before taking the honey from his hands. "You're just like your father, always mistaking me for a child."

"You...knew my father...?" he sat down quickly, wanting to hear more and Lily smiled sadly as she walked over to Ronin and sprinkled some earth on him. "Don't tell him too much Nina...he is not ready..."

"I know ..." Her face turned sad as she watched Nod. "He was a dear always getting things for me that I couldn't reach, even when he was my commander, even when he married someone else..."

Lily waved her hands over Ronin, and rather than being unconscious, he fell into a deep sleep; something he hadn't had since Tara died. "He was the only man either of us could trust...besides Ronin." she glanced at Nod. "I will trust you only because you are your father's son and because Ronin trusts you." she sat down and sighed, patting Nina's shoulder. "It would take all night to tell you of his great deeds..."

"But let us leave that to Ronin." Nina said looking over at the man in question and let out a sigh. "What is it that you would like to see Nod? I can see everything past, present, future if you wish, anywhere everywhere around the forest."

Lily stood. "I have to check on 'those flowers' I will be back..."

Nod paused and bit his lip. There were so many things he wanted to see...but he stuck with the one he knew Ronin was going to ask. "The boggins in our territory have been acting up...even though Mandrake is dead. We wanted to know why."

"Alright." Nina turned back to the kitchen moving about to another cabinet only to stare up at it in annoyance. "Get a bowl down will you?" she asked turning to Nod. He blinked and then nodded. He stood and got it down for her and smiled. "Sorry about thinking you were a kid earlier...Ronin's always telling me I'm a moron...guess it's true..." he chuckled.

"No you're not you just don't think quickly like most people want, besides it's not the first time someone has done that." she muttered the last part darkly and took the bowl filling it up with water from a nearby vase and placed the water bowl on the table. "Sit" she said pointing Nod to the spot where he could easily see the bowl. He sat down as she commanded and smiled. "Did Ronin think you were a kid to?"

"No but he knew me before my appearance changed, after all he was my caretaker."

"You're appearance changed...? How did that happen?" he knew he shouldn't pry, but Nod was naturally curious.

"The pod doesn't always make another queen." She replied cryptically. Before grabbing the bottle of honey and pouring some down her throat.

He stared at her with wide eyes. "Doesn't...always...what's that mean? That the Pod chose you and Lilly in some way...?"

"It gives powers Nod. When there is no queen it makes another but if there is a queen it gives power to a woman but it also takes something from that woman."

"So...it gave you the power of sight...but took you're height?" he tipped his head. Nina snorted and end up coughing up some of the honey she had been drinking like water. "No it gave me the power of growth and sight but took away my age and my ability to grow older. I was reverted back to nine and I have been nine for a third of my life."

He flushed. "Ah...s-sorry...I didn't mean to be rude...I was just curious...so um...what about Lily...?" Lily came back before Nina could answer and sat down. "I was born the way I am. A pod didn't choose me, I was a pod, but not from the ones in the pond, but the seed of a red lily...thus my name: Blood-lily."

"That is another way." Nina said taking another gulp of honey. "I'm almost ready, Lily how are the flowers?"

"Their growing well...two are going to bloom again soon..." she turned to her. "I hope that's ok? I can have them stay somewhere else if it would be better..." Nod let them talk.

"It will be fine they are very helpful around the house. How is Tara holding up?" Nina asked concerned.

"She's all right, but she feels bad about staying away from Ronin so long...she doesn't like it. They were childhood sweethearts after all..." Nod blinked in surprise. "Wait...what? What do you mean?!"

You mean you didn't know," Nina stared at him in disbelieve. "I retract what I said earlier you really are dense.

Nod flushed. "Hey! That's not very nice...I just believe what Ronin said because he was there, and he would never lie about that! So...why is she...here...?"

Lily sighed. "So Ronin really didn't tell you anything...? We have the ability to re-grow people if you will...Tara is just one of the many we've brought back into this world."


End file.
